The present invention is concerned with a method and apparatuses for testing the correspondence of the line of sight of optical instruments with the target line of weapons, using a predetermined measuring field and an electrical, line-type sensor.
The state of this art may be ascertained by reference to Fachbericht B3 in Messen, Steuern, Regeln of Fa. OEM, Dachauerstra.beta.e 42, 8000 Munchen, Federal Republic of Germany.
The nominal positions of the lines of sight and of the target lines are determined relative to one another and are stored in coordinate values in a long-time memory. Simultaneously a nominal reference point as the origin of the system of coordinates is determined and stored in this long-time memory.
It is known to use so-called fixing collimators where a reticle with symbol markings is mounted in the focal plane of the collimator objective, these symbol markings being projected on identical symbol markings in the instruments of which the mutual angular position in elevation and azimuth must be checked. When there is agreement in both the angles of elevation and azimuth, the projected symbol markings coincide with those of the instruments to be tested.
Such instrumentation suffers from the drawback that the reticle for the sake of easy synopsis is provided with only a low number of symbol markings, only a restricted number of devices can be aligned or tested and that the accuracy of alignment or testing depends on a subjective assessment of the coincidence between the markings.
In order to make such observations more objective, it has already been proposed to carry out the testing of the assembly of instruments requiring a precise angular arrangement by means of autocollimating and photoelectric systems. This is done by illuminating a hairline reticle and by imaging it by means of an objective into infinity. After reflection from a mirror this image is then reproduced by the same objective on a measuring reticle designed as an electrical sensor in the form of a row of photodiodes and mounted in the image plane of this autocollimating system. In this way the position of the hairline can be sensed, analyzed and displayed.
Such an instrument for testing the correspondence of the line of sight with the target line suffers from the drawback that one such autocollimating instrument with photoelectric detection of the test mark location must be provided for every optical device and every weapon to be checked when the coincidence of such optical devices' lines of sight with such weapons' target line is tested. This means that in addition to the high cost in instrumentation, such a testing system can be used only specifically for one application and can only be employed in stationary manner. Further increased costs are incurred by the somewhat complex adjustment of the instrumentation.